1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is in the field of personal computers and the like, and, more particularly, is in the field of recovering wasted heat energy generated by personal computers and performing a useful task with the energy, such as to provide needed cooling without consuming limited battery resources.
2. Description of the Related Art
Personal computers are computer systems based upon microprocessors installed in an enclosure with various support components. Such a computer system may be a so-called desktop model which is combined with a keyboard and monitor to provide a complete standalone system. Alternatively, the computer system may be a portable laptop or notebook system in which the keyboard and monitor are permanently attached to the base unit and which includes a battery for providing power to the components in the system when the system is not plugged in. As microprocessors become faster and more powerful in their processing capabilities, the amount of power dissipated by the microprocessors and support components increases significantly. This dissipated power appears as heat in the computer system, and, if the heat is not removed from the system, the heat can increase to a level that can harm the components in the computer system.
In desktop computer systems which are connected to a conventional AC power source, the dissipation of the heat generated by the semiconductor components is accomplished by providing an exhaust fan in an outlet from the computer system enclosure. In some computer systems, a heat sink on the microprocessor is combined with a small fan mounted on the heat sink to provide additional air flow for the microprocessor. Although this works fine for desktop computer systems which are connected to AC power, in battery powered laptop or notebook computer systems, the only power available for portable operation is the battery. The additional power required to operate an exhaust fan or a fan mounted on a heat sink would reduce the amount of time that the computer system can operate from the battery. Thus, exhaust fans or heat sink fans have generally not been used on portable computer systems. However, as microprocessors become increasingly powerful, the heat generated by the microprocessors has become quite high. For example, the Intel Pentium processor may dissipate as much as 8-12 watts of power, much of which is generated as heat. Thus, a need exists for an apparatus for removing the heat generated by the microprocessor without increasing the power required from the battery of the portable computer.